Americain cut for Melbourne Cup after Geelong glory

Hopes of a first French win in the Melbourne Cup received a major boost when
the Alain de Royer-Dupré-trained Americain squeezed through a narrow opening
to snatch victory in Wednesday's Geelong Cup for globetrotting jockey Gerald
Mosse.

Close call: connections of Eastern Aria face an anxious wait to see whether the filly makes the final field for the Melbourne CupPhoto: PA

By HOTSPUR (J A McGrath)

6:20PM BST 20 Oct 2010

As a result he has been cut from 25-1 to 10-1 third favourite with William Hill for Australia's famous two-mile handicap, to be run at Flemington on Nov 2.

But Luca Cumani's Drunken Sailor finished with a bloodstained near-fore hoof in 11th place in the Geelong race which the Newmarket trainer had selected as a possible launch pad to Flemington.

The Geelong Cup, run at a picturesque provincial track 45 miles outside Melbourne, has become a popular prep race for horses looking for a penalty that could secure a place in the Melbourne Cup field, which has a 24-runner limit. The Dermot Weld-trained Media Puzzle won it en route to his 2002 triumph.

Drunken Sailor had needed to win to elevate his position in the order of entry to the Melbourne Cup field, but after being handily placed on the home bend he faded out of contention, being squeezed at the top of the home straight when beaten.

Americain was notching his fourth win on the trot, and he is clearly in great heart. Early in his career, he was a homebred winner for the Wertheimer brothers and trained by Andre Fabre. He was sent to America, where he joined Todd Pletcher, without success.

Then he was purchased by Melbourne owner Gerry Ryan and sent to Royer-Dupré, for whom he has struck a purple patch of form. An elated Ryan said after Wednesday's win: "This is the third horse we've bought specifically to try to win the Cup. The others didn't amount to much, one of them needed three miles!

"But I think there's improvement in this horse [Americain]. And what about the jockey [Mosse]? He's given him a fantastic ride," the owner added.

Mosse was scheduled to appeal to Racing Victoria today against a 10-meeting ban imposed for causing interference in last Saturday's Caulfield Cup. He was permitted to ride at Geelong, pending the appeal hearing, and he is clear to ride in the Melbourne Cup, even if his ban is not reduced.

Americain is liable to a penalty for his Geelong Cup win, though he was already in the Melbourne Cup field. Connections of other intended European-based runners will be anxiously watching to see if any above them in the order of entry drop by the wayside. Godolphin's Holberg is No 32 on the list and Eastern Aria No 34.

Local champion So You Think will be a short-priced favourite for the Melbourne Cup if he wins Saturday's Cox Plate, while Shocking (fourth in the Caulfield Cup) is second favourite.